The summer league offers Chittenden County adults a chance to compete, connect and enjoy beer.

By Jackson Bartels, for the Community News Service

BURLINGTON — Dark clouds and heavy rain loomed over Leddy Park on August 6, threatening to cancel that evening’s softball game. But just as the storm appeared to settle in, the sun broke through the clouds, allowing for a scenic night of softball. 

The soft melody of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” echoed throughout the field as the Burlington Boozers took on the One Hit Wonders. Across the park, two other games unfolded, filling the fields with the loud pop of softballs.

The games were a part of the Burlington Beer League’s summer season, which offers adults a chance to step out of their daily routines and participate in organized athletics. 

As players rotated between the field and the bench, teammates gathered to talk, sip beer and cheer from the sidelines. The conversations continued during at-bats, blending an atmosphere of competition and community.

“Seeing all these leagues around here keeps the fun alive. There are people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s here who are still in love with sports,” player Nick Rodriguez said. “I think art and sports are important for people of all ages.” 

Organized by Game On VT, a group that runs adult leagues ranging from field hockey to kickball, the Burlington Beer League is coed and goes for 13 weeks, starting in May and concluding with playoffs in September. Teams take the field every Wednesday and Thursday at parks throughout the Burlington area, including Leddy Park in Burlington, Landry Park in Winooski and Jaycee Park in South Burlington.

The league has 11 teams, each with at least nine players, and requires at least one woman from each team to be on field during every game. 

Local businesses are also in the mix by sponsoring teams to help cover the cost of equipment. There was business with a distinct look at one of last week’s games: Three Needs Tap Room & Pizza Cube. Once it was time for players to take the field, they suited up in their green jerseys, baseball pants and cleats. 

Winooski Organics, a cannabis dispensary in the Onion City, has also fielded a team, supplying the players with jerseys and bats.

“It just gives us something to do during the work week that’s not work,” said Dillon Lovell, team captain and co-owner of Winooski Organics. “It’s one thing to go to a bar with your buddies and have a couple beers, but playing softball and having a couple beers is a little bit more fun.” 

The league was started in 2005 with six teams, including one fielded by South Burlington Volvo repair shop the Swedish Pit, which is still playing today. At the time, winning the league’s championship came with an unusual responsibility: serving as the league’s commissioner. In 2009, Swedish Pit player Louis Hodgetts founded Game On VT and became the league’s permanent commissioner in 2013. 

Game On VT has since grown into a hub for adult recreation in the Burlington area, organizing a variety of leagues to give adults opportunities to compete, stay active and socialize.  

“I’ve been trying to develop pretty much every sport that I can, to give people the most opportunities,” Hodgetts said. “We have field hockey players in their 60s and softball players who have never played an organized sport.”

For many players, the softball league offers an opportunity to exercise while reconnecting them with their childhood sport.

“I have been doing sports my whole life. I went to the Army and played softball there,” Burlington Boozers player Ariel Adry said. “When I came to Vermont, the first thing I did was find a softball team.”

Vermont’s harsh winters and rainy summers can limit outdoor activity. But adult recreation leagues such as the beer league are creating spaces to stay active and meet new people, Adry said. 

“A lot of mental health issues can come from people being indoors,” he said. “I think it’s important for everyone to be out here and just be around people.”

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship